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Venu HS, Shylesha AN, Ruqiya S, Rangeshwaran R, Manjunatha C, Kandan A, Jagadish KS, Eswarappa G, Aditya K. Bioefficacy and molecular characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis strain NBAIR BtGa against greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. Braz J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s42770-024-01504-w. [PMID: 39207639 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01504-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella, the greater wax moth has always been an important pest against honeybees and has remained a nightmare for beekeeping farmers. Management of G. mellonella in live honeybee colonies is very difficult because most current management practices can destroy whole honeybee colonies. In the present study, experiments were conducted to isolate and characterize Bacillus thuringiensis from infected greater wax moth cadavers and to evaluate their biocontrol ability against G. mellonella. The bioefficacy of these isolates has been evaluated against greater wax moth along with the standard strain HD-1. Among all the strains tested, NBAIR BtGa demonstrated higher efficacy compared to other strains, with an LC50 value of 125.17 µg/ml, whereas HD-1 exhibited a significantly higher LC50 value of 946.61 µg/ml. Considering the economic importance of NBAIR BtGa we performed whole genome sequencing of this strain resulting in the identification of a genome size of 5.96 Mb consisting of 6888 protein-coding genes. Gene ontology analysis categorized these genes into three groups based on their roles, i.e., biological functions (2169 genes), cellular components (1900 genes), and molecular functions (2774 genes). Through insecticidal toxicity-related genes (ITRG) profiling of our strain across the genome by Bt toxin scanner and cry processor resulted in the identification of several Cry proteins namely Cry1Ab11, Cry1Ia44, Cry1Aa2, Cry2Af1, Cry1Da2, Cry1Eb1, Cry1Ab5, Cry1Cb2, Cry1Ac2. Besides Cry proteins, other ITRG genes, viz. Vip3Bb2, Zwittermicin A resistance proteins, Chitinase C, Mpp46Ab1, immune inhibitor A, Bmp1, Vpb4Ca1, and Spp1Aa1 were also reported, which show toxicity against lepidopteran pests. The studies were also conducted to test the biosafety of Bt toxins against honeybee larvae and adults, which showed strain NBAIR BtGa was more than 99% safer for honeybee larvae as well as adults. Thus, the data generated ascertains its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent and it can be used further for the development of bio formulation for the management of G. mellonella in honeybee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H S Venu
- Department of Apiculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560 065, India
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
| | - A N Shylesha
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
| | - S Ruqiya
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
| | - R Rangeshwaran
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
| | - C Manjunatha
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India.
| | - A Kandan
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
| | - K S Jagadish
- Department of Apiculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560 065, India
| | - G Eswarappa
- Department of Apiculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560 065, India
| | - K Aditya
- Divison of Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bengaluru, 560 024, India
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Xu G, Wang Z, Bai Y, Crickmore N, Wang K, Hassen AI, Geng L, Shu C, Zhang J. Identification of a biomarker for Bacillus thuringiensis strains with high toxicity against Spodoptera frugiperda based on insecticidal gene linkage analysis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38940437 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive bacterium that produces various insecticidal proteins used to control insect pests. Spodoptera frugiperda is a global insect pest which causes serious damage to crops, but bio-insecticides currently available to control this pest have limited activity and so new ones are always being sought. In this study we have tested the hypothesis that a biomarker for strain toxicity could be found that would greatly facilitate the identification of new potential products. RESULTS Using genomic sequencing data we constructed a linkage network of insecticidal genes from 1957 Bt genomes and found that four gene families, namely cry1A, cry1I, cry2A and vip3A, showed strong linkage. For 95 strains isolated from soil samples we assayed them for toxicity towards S. frugiperda and for the presence of the above gene families. All of the strains that showed high toxicity also contained a member of the vip3A gene family. Two of them were more toxic than a commercially available strain and genomic sequencing identified a number of potentially novel toxin-encoding genes. CONCLUSIONS The presence of a vip3A gene in the genome of a Bt strain proved to be a strong indicator of toxicity towards S. frugiperda validating this biomarker approach as a strategy for future discovery programs. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoli Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqi Bai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Neil Crickmore
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Kui Wang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Ahmed Idris Hassen
- Agricultural Research Council-Plant Health and Protection, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lili Geng
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Changlong Shu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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Guo X, Yu H, Xiong J, Dai Q, Li Y, Zhang W, Liao X, He X, Zhou H, Zhang K. Pseudomonas aeruginosa two-component system LadS/PA0034 regulates macrophage phagocytosis via fimbrial protein cupA1. mBio 2024; 15:e0061624. [PMID: 38771052 PMCID: PMC11237798 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00616-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens worldwide, known for its virulence, drug resistance, and elaborate sensor-response network. The primary challenge encountered by pathogens during the initial stages of infection is the immune clearance arising from the host. The resident macrophages of barrier organs serve as the frontline defense against these pathogens. Central to our understanding is the mechanism by which bacteria modify their behavior to circumvent macrophage-mediated clearance, ensuring their persistence and colonization. To successfully evade macrophage-mediated phagocytosis, bacteria must possess an adaptive response mechanism. Two-component systems provide bacteria the agility to navigate diverse environmental challenges, translating external stimuli into cellular adaptive responses. Here, we report that the well-documented histidine kinase, LadS, coupled to a cognate two-component response regulator, PA0034, governs the expression of a vital adhesin called chaperone-usher pathway pilus cupA. The LadS/PA0034 system is susceptible to interference from the reactive oxygen species likely to be produced by macrophages and further lead to a poor adhesive phenotype with scantily cupA pilus, impairing the phagocytosis efficiency of macrophages during acute infection. This dynamic underscores the intriguing interplay: as macrophages deploy reactive oxygen species to combat bacterial invasion, the bacteria recalibrate their exterior to elude these defenses. IMPORTANCE The notoriety of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is underscored by its virulence, drug resistance, and elaborate sensor-response network. Yet, the mechanisms by which P. aeruginosa maneuvers to escape phagocytosis during acute infections remain elusive. This study pinpoints a two-component response regulator, PA0034, coupled with the histidine kinase LadS, and responds to macrophage-derived reactive oxygen species. The macrophage-derived reactive oxygen species can impair the LadS/PA0034 system, resulting in reduced expression of cupA pilus in the exterior of P. aeruginosa. Since the cupA pilus is an important adhesin of P. aeruginosa, its deficiency reduces bacterial adhesion and changes their behavior to adopt a planktonic lifestyle, subsequently inhibiting the phagocytosis of macrophages by interfering with bacterial adhesion. Briefly, reactive oxygen species may act as environmental cues for the LadS/PA0034 system. Upon recognition, P. aeruginosa may transition to a poorly adhesive state, efficiently avoiding engulfment by macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Guo
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junzhi Xiong
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qian Dai
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiping Liao
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaomei He
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongli Zhou
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kebin Zhang
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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He X, Yang Y, Soberón M, Bravo A, Zhang L, Zhang J, Wang Z. Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9Aa Insecticidal Protein Domain I Helices α3 and α4 Are Two Core Regions Involved in Oligomerization and Toxicity. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:1321-1329. [PMID: 38175929 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9 proteins show high insecticidal activity against different lepidopteran pests. Cry9 could be a valuable alternative to Cry1 proteins because it showed a synergistic effect with no cross-resistance. However, the pore-formation region of the Cry9 proteins is still unclear. In this study, nine mutations of certain Cry9Aa helices α3 and α4 residues resulted in a complete loss of insecticidal activity against the rice pest Chilo suppressalis; however, the protein stability and receptor binding ability of these mutants were not affected. Among these mutants, Cry9Aa-D121R, Cry9Aa-D125R, Cry9Aa-D163R, Cry9Aa-E165R, and Cry9Aa-D167R are unable to form oligomers in vitro, while the oligomers formed by Cry9Aa-R156D, Cry9Aa-R158D, and Cry9Aa-R160D are unstable and failed to insert into the membrane. These data confirmed that helices α3 and α4 of Cry9Aa are involved in oligomerization, membrane insertion, and toxicity. The knowledge of Cry9 pore-forming action may promote its application as an alternative to Cry1 insecticidal proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang He
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Green Pesticide Development and Application, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230036, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yanchao Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mario Soberón
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Apdo. Postal 510-3, Morelos 62250, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Bravo
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Apdo. Postal 510-3, Morelos 62250, Mexico
| | - Lihong Zhang
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Green Pesticide Development and Application, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230036, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Anhui Province Engineering Laboratory for Green Pesticide Development and Application, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui Province 230036, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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Wang Z, Yang Y, Li S, Ma W, Wang K, Soberón M, Yan S, Shen J, Francis F, Bravo A, Zhang J. JAK/STAT signaling regulated intestinal regeneration defends insect pests against pore-forming toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011823. [PMID: 38236820 PMCID: PMC10796011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
A variety of coordinated host-cell responses are activated as defense mechanisms against pore-forming toxins (PFTs). Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a worldwide used biopesticide whose efficacy and precise application methods limits its use to replace synthetic pesticides in agricultural settings. Here, we analyzed the intestinal defense mechanisms of two lepidopteran insect pests after intoxication with sublethal dose of Bt PFTs to find out potential functional genes. We show that larval intestinal epithelium was initially damaged by the PFTs and that larval survival was observed after intestinal epithelium regeneration. Further analyses showed that the intestinal regeneration caused by Cry9A protein is regulated through c-Jun NH (2) terminal kinase (JNK) and Janus tyrosine kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathways. JAK/STAT signaling regulates intestinal regeneration through proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells to defend three different Bt proteins including Cry9A, Cry1F or Vip3A in both insect pests, Chilo suppressalis and Spodoptera frugiperda. Consequently, a nano-biopesticide was designed to improve pesticidal efficacy based on the combination of Stat double stranded RNA (dsRNA)-nanoparticles and Bt strain. This formulation controlled insect pests with better effect suggesting its potential use to reduce the use of synthetic pesticides in agricultural settings for pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yanchao Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Sirui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kui Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mario Soberón
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Shuo Yan
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Plant Biosecurity and MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Frederic Francis
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Alejandra Bravo
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Shikov AE, Savina IA, Nizhnikov AA, Antonets KS. Recombination in Bacterial Genomes: Evolutionary Trends. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:568. [PMID: 37755994 PMCID: PMC10534446 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial organisms have undergone homologous recombination (HR) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) multiple times during their history. These processes could increase fitness to new environments, cause specialization, the emergence of new species, and changes in virulence. Therefore, comprehensive knowledge of the impact and intensity of genetic exchanges and the location of recombination hotspots on the genome is necessary for understanding the dynamics of adaptation to various conditions. To this end, we aimed to characterize the functional impact and genomic context of computationally detected recombination events by analyzing genomic studies of any bacterial species, for which events have been detected in the last 30 years. Genomic loci where the transfer of DNA was detected pertained to mobile genetic elements (MGEs) housing genes that code for proteins engaged in distinct cellular processes, such as secretion systems, toxins, infection effectors, biosynthesis enzymes, etc. We found that all inferences fall into three main lifestyle categories, namely, ecological diversification, pathogenesis, and symbiosis. The latter primarily exhibits ancestral events, thus, possibly indicating that adaptation appears to be governed by similar recombination-dependent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton E. Shikov
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Iuliia A. Savina
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
| | - Anton A. Nizhnikov
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Kirill S. Antonets
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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Fu BW, Xu L, Zheng MX, Chen QX, Shi Y, Zhu YJ. Stability is essential for insecticidal activity of Vip3Aa toxin against Spodoptera exigua. AMB Express 2022; 12:92. [PMID: 35834019 PMCID: PMC9283630 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-022-01430-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Vegetative insecticidal proteins 3A (Vip3A) were important insecticidal proteins for control of lepidopteran pests. Previous study demonstrated that Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad showed significant difference in insecticidal activities against Spodoptera exigua, while the molecular mechanism remained ambiguous. Here we demonstrated that the difference in insecticidal activities between Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad might be caused by the difference in stability of Vip3Aa and Vip3Ad in S. exigua midgut protease. Vip3Aa was quite stable while Vip3Ad could be further degraded. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that Vip3Aa was more stable than Vip3Ad, with smaller RMSD and RMSF value. Amino acid sequence alignment indicated that three were three extra prolines (P591, P605 and P779) located on Vip3Aa. We further identified that residue P591 played a crucial role on stability and insecticidal activity of Vip3Aa. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the stability was essential for the insecticidal activity of Vip3A toxins, which might provide new insight into the action mode of Vip3A toxins and contribute to the design Vip3A variants with improved stability and insecticidal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Wen Fu
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Lian Xu
- Agricultural Bio-Resources Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Mei-Xia Zheng
- Agricultural Bio-Resources Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China
| | - Qing-Xi Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yan Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
| | - Yu-Jing Zhu
- Agricultural Bio-Resources Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China.
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Pacheco S, Gómez I, Chiñas M, Sánchez J, Soberón M, Bravo A. Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis of Bacillus thuringiensis GR007 Reveals Multiple Pesticidal Protein Genes. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:758314. [PMID: 34795652 PMCID: PMC8594373 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.758314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are soil ubiquitous bacteria. They produce a great variability of insecticidal proteins, where certain of these toxins are used worldwide for pest control. Through their adaptation to diverse ecosystems, certain Bt strains have acquired genetic mobile elements by horizontal transfer, harboring genes that encode for different virulent factors and pesticidal proteins (PP). Genomic characterization of Bt strains provides a valuable source of PP with potential biotechnological applications for pest control. In this work, we have sequenced the complete genome of the bacterium Bt GR007 strain that is toxic to Spodoptera frugiperda and Manduca sexta larvae. Four replicons (one circular chromosome and three megaplasmids) were identified. The two largest megaplasmids (pGR340 and pGR157) contain multiple genes that codify for pesticidal proteins: 10 cry genes (cry1Ab, cry1Bb, cry1Da, cry1Fb, cry1Hb, cry1Id, cry1Ja, cry1Ka, cry1Nb, and cry2Ad), two vip genes (vip3Af and vip3Ag), two binary toxin genes (vpa2Ac and vpb1Ca), five genes that codify for insecticidal toxin components (Tc’s), and a truncated cry1Bd-like gene. In addition, genes that codify for several virulent factors were also found in this strain. Proteomic analysis of the parasporal crystals of GR007 revealed that they are composed of eight Cry proteins. Further cloning of these genes for their individual expression in Bt acrystalliferous strain, by means of their own intrinsic promoter showed expression of seven Cry proteins. These proteins display differential toxicity against M. sexta and S. frugiperda larvae, where Cry1Bb showed to be the most active protein against S. frugiperda larvae and Cry1Ka the most active protein against M. sexta larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabino Pacheco
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Isabel Gómez
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Marcos Chiñas
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Jorge Sánchez
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Mario Soberón
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Alejandra Bravo
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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Díaz-Valerio S, Lev Hacohen A, Schöppe R, Liesegang H. IDOPS, a Profile HMM-Based Tool to Detect Pesticidal Sequences and Compare Their Genetic Context. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:664476. [PMID: 34276598 PMCID: PMC8279765 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.664476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopesticide-based crop protection is constantly challenged by insect resistance. Thus, expansion of available biopesticides is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Although Bacillus thuringiensis is the major agent for pesticide bioprotection, the number of bacteria species synthesizing proteins with biopesticidal potential is much higher. The Bacterial Pesticidal Protein Resource Center (BPPRC) offers a database of sequences for the control of insect pests, grouped in structural classes. Here we present IDOPS, a tool that detects novel biopesticidal sequences and analyzes them within their genetic environment. The backbone of the IDOPS detection unit is a curated collection of high-quality hidden Markov models that is in accordance with the BPPRC nomenclature. IDOPS was positively benchmarked with BtToxin_Digger and Cry_Processor. In addition, a scan of the UniProtKB database using the IDOPS models returned an abundance of new pesticidal protein candidates distributed across all of the structural groups. Gene expression depends on the genomic environment, therefore, IDOPS provides a comparative genomics module to investigate the genetic regions surrounding pesticidal genes. This feature enables the investigation of accessory elements and evolutionary traits relevant for optimal toxin expression and functional diversification. IDOPS contributes and expands our current arsenal of pesticidal proteins used for crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefani Díaz-Valerio
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anat Lev Hacohen
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Raphael Schöppe
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Heiko Liesegang
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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